Tow-boat



(No ModelJ' A. MUDOUGALL.

TOW Boat.

No. 241,813. Patented May 24,1881.

N. PETERS. mvoqrapmr. Walhinhn, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEC ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TOW-BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 241,813, dated May 24, 1881.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER MeDoU- GALL, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tow-Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the form and construction of boats or freightvessels used for carrying merchandise upon bodies of water, either large open lakes and seas or narrowrivers and canals; and its object is to equally adapt it to use in rough or quiet waters, and to be towed with or without the use of the rudder to direct its course. Both ends of the vessel are formed by the continuation of its sides, which are parallel for some considerable distance, and of semicylindrical shape above and ellipsoidal shape below the watermark or wales, and uniformly taper to a point above the bottom of the boat about twothirds its depth, the principal object of my invention being in the construction of the ends, by means of which the freight-vessel is enabled to follow the wake or water-way of the towingboat with as little resistance as possible, the ends being so formed as to correspond to the disturbance of the water, both in entering and leaving the same.

Most or all the boats or vessels now in use are so constructed that while being towed in either rough or smooth water they will deviate from one side to the other, if the rudder is not in constant use. By this improvement in the shape of both ends, and having the tow-lines fast so far forward and aft in these vessels, we avoid this cause of sheering from one side to the other.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal elevation of my freight-boat, in which A is the bow, and B the stern, of the boat, and gives a general idea of the outward appearance of the vessel, with the rudder in place for steering. Fig. 2shows the stern in longitudinal section.

C C are bulk-heads built into the vessel at that point of its length where the tapering ends meet with the parallel sides of the hull or body of the vessel. The part of the vessel cut oli' by the bulk-head C is divided into the watentight compartments a b b c, as shown in Fig. 2, and also rudder-compartment J, located between compartments b c, and having above it compartments a b, which are separated by the rudder-passage G', as shown. Compartments a c are permanently watertight, while b b are accessible from the deck and hull of the vessel respectively, as shown.

G represents the rudder-post, passing vertically through its passage G', which is of a size sufficient to admit the rudder-post easily, and allow it to turn readily when steering the vessel. This rudder-post is provided with a screwthread and nut, H, or other equivalent device, by means of which the rudder F may be raised into the compartment J, and thus thrown out of action, when desired, as shown by dotted lines in Fig.2. The width of this compartment J is shown in Fig. 5, which is a perspective view of the stern of my freight-boat.

rEhe part of the vessel separated by the bulkhead C is also divided into two water-tight compartments, a b', accessible, respectively, from the deck and hull of the vessel, as shown in Fig. 3.

DD are perpendicular and lateral braces, intended to give stability to the hull of the vessel.

E is the flooring in the bottom. e is the pin passing through a loop in the tow-linef, and designed to fasten a number of these freightboats together, and also to attach them to the tug or steam-vessel that is furnishing the motive power.

The various compartments shown in the drawings are water-tight, and afford additional security against sinking the vessel in event of collision. When the vessel is in rough water the course followed will be directly that of the propelling steamer, and no necessity of steering the former will be experience, as its peculiar form will cause it to follow that in front. The tow-lines enter the bow and stern of the vessel through pipes at g, which prevent admission of water to the hull in case ot' rough water and high waves.

Owing to the peculiar shape the carrying capacity ot' these vessels will be very great in proportion to their size.

The cross-section, Fig. 4, shows the shape IOO of the hull to the wales I I, and the deck or upper section above that of the semi-cylindrical shape, as heretofore described.

The horizontal and perpendicular braces are shown at D D.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A freight-vessel so constructed and arranged iu its outline that the body of the hull has parallel sides for a considerable portion of its length between the points where it tapers to form the bow and stern, which portion shall be semi-cylindrical above and ellipseidal below the watermark or wales, substantially as described and shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. A freight-vessel so constructed and arranged in its outline that its bow and stern,

formed by the continuation of its sides, which 2o are parallel for some considerable portion of their length, and of semi-cylindrical shape above and ellipsoidal shape below the watermark, shall uniformly taper to a point above its bottom about two-thirds the depth ofthe 2 5 boat, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

This specification signed and witnessed this 13th day of February, 1880.

ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL.

Witnesses:

GEO. C. TRACY, W. G. MA'rHER. 

